Multiple sclerosis changes Texas man's outlook on marijuana

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-timmons_29met.ART.State.Edition2.3368f24.html

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, October 29, 2010
By SCOTT K. PARKS / The Dallas Morning News
[e-mail]

Tim Timmons once was a stalwart in the Church of Christ, a conservative Republican, a buttoned-down insurance executive with a busy life, a wife and three children. Slowly but surely, multiple sclerosis robbed him of that life.

Today, at age 54, Timmons is mostly bedridden and rarely sees the outside of his Garland home. What he lacks in physical ability, however, he more than makes up for with his ardent support for legalizing marijuana for seriously ill people.

In fact, he has become the poster boy for the medical marijuana movement in Texas. One organization has named a model law to set up a medical marijuana industry in Texas the Tim Timmons Compassionate Care Act. An Internet search quickly yields videos of Timmons smoking pot and daring politicians and cops to come arrest him.

"I would love (Texas Gov.) Rick Perry to be the guy who arrests me," he said. "It would cost the state of Texas $500,000 a year to take care of me in prison."

[midnight]

1. K&R for sanity....

[tanyev]

2. Why do they have to personally be affected by a tragedy before they finally "get it"?

And I'm not just talking about marijuana legalization.

[WinkyDink]

3. Just about to make the same point.

[hobbit709]

4. Apparently because that's the only way a different idea soaks into their skulls.

Their minds are closed until the reality stick whomps them upside the head.

[boobooday]

5. Because empathy isn't their strong suit n/t

[Ian David]

11. See also: Right-Wing Jerry

Long-time RW caller (Stephanie Miller show) breaks down in tears ...
The call from Right-Wing Jerry to The Stephanie Miller Show is posted .... focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among lesbian, ...
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x160480

Also:

http://www.google.com/search?q=site:www.democraticunderground.com+right-wing+jerry+stephanie+miller&sourceid=navclient-ff&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS334US334&ie=UTF-8&hl=#sclient=psy&hl=en&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS334US334&source=hp&q=site:www.democraticunderground.com+right-wing+jerry+suicide+stephanie+miller&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=&pbx=1&fp=b7b968c575c3858f

[Ilsa]

14. I hear you. My best friend didn't really understand

the health care crises until his 24 year old daughter was getting kicked off his generous BCBS plan and She had to sign up for her employer's plan which is expensive crap.

[fascisthunter]

15. because they lack empathy

empathy is a very important survival mechanism they just don't have.... they only react when it effects themselves, and sometimes it is too late.

[bobbolink]

17. So maybe if a lot of Democrats were to become homeless, there might suddenly be a huge effort

to create the needed low-income housing?

Hmmmm?

[maryf]

20. People lack compassion and imagination...

How many here would even be willing to try to put on an other's shoes?

[truedelphi]

27. I'm sure they would -as long as the low cost housing didn't get built in

Their neighborhood!

:rofl:

(I am being slightly absurd tonight - too much Halloween Candy!)

[WinkyDink]

29. Do you think the homeless are Republican by nature?

[bobbolink]

32. !

:rofl:

[krabigirl]

25. Exactly. Very sad commentary on our society.

[SoCalDem]

31. Righties are self-centered n/t

[devilgrrl]

34. Because he's been lied to about marijuana for his entire life

eom

[skepticscott]

6. The underlying mantra

for all of conservatism is "It could never happen to me". It's hard to muster any sympathy for people who don't see the other side of that until it's too late.

Hope this guy spends the rest of his miserable life, in prison, contemplating the suffering of others, as well as his own.

[maryf]

21. whoa

isn't it better late than never? Isn't his penance something?

[skepticscott]

22. Better that he realized how stupid he's been

before he dies than never at all. But his own realization doesn't make up for a damn thing that he and his ilk are responsible for in this country over the past 30 years, now does it? When he does something to actually help others, something more than express his own (still self-centered) defiance, then he might start to deserve a little consideration.

[mainer]

7. If only marijuana could cure prostate cancer

you'd see all those old white guys in government change their tune pretty fast.

[Fly by night]

8. Prostate cancer is one of the half-dozen+ cancer cell types that we know cannabinoids inhibit.

Cannabis might inhibit more cancers, if we were only allowed to (you now, actually) study its properties in this country.

Science, common sense and compassion -- it is about damned time to demonstrate that we understand and respect those foundations of a sane and sustainable society.

[Ian David]

12. If someone's bong smells like ass, it's because they're trying to prevent prostate cancer. n/t

[Fly by night]

16. Thanks for sharing.

Or maybe not.

[Froward69]

9. Good

I am sorry he had to acquire a debilitating life ending disease to wake up. but as one who has seen Friends suffer and die I am a Staunch advocate for whatever helps him and others cope and renders comfort.
this is why
My Icon is a riot cop beating a MMJ patient.

this and Health care are my two "Issues".

[Ian David]

10. A long time ago, I read an article about anti-choice activists choosing FETAL stem cell treatments..

... that they had to travel to China or somewhere for.

"Experimental" fetal stem cell "treatments" made from the sinus cells of actual aborted fetuses, that are more likely than not to just be a money-making scam.

This is much different from experimental treatments made from embryonic stem cells:

Embryo: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embryo

Fetus: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fetus?show=0&t=1288533518

And of course, they were opposed to any of this until THEY got sick.

[dbt]

13. K & R in hopes that Gov Goodhair

will see the videos and be HONOR BOUND to come-n-git Mr. Scofflaw Timmons and SPEND that half-a-mil to keep such a heinous criminal off the sheets.

:smoke:

[RainDog]

18. Some Republicans pols in TX are glomming onto the recognition of mmj for PTSD

this allows them to frame the issue as support for the troops and, thus, avoid the stereotype (the totally outdated and erroneous stereotype, but the most don't seem to care about that) that frames this issue as one of stoners vs everyone else.

The recent ruling by the VA that allows medical marijuana for use by vets in states with medical mj laws makes them the first federal agency to recognize the valid treatment option afforded for patients with PTSD.

This issue is one whose time has come.

It is sad that someone has to be afflicted with an illness to care about access to medicine for others - much less the 70 year history of racism that has fed prohibition of marijuana in this nation for any use.

More lives have been destroyed by this nation's irrational policy toward marijuana than by any use of the same.

[bobbolink]

19. When will the time come for the issue of homelessness?

Only when many of YOU are in such dire circumstances?

One someone in YOUR family has to go to jail in order to get housing and meals, or YOU are jailed for being homeless?

Is that what it will take?

[Uncle Joe]

24. Those are good questions bobbolink, I do believe ending the insane "War on Drugs"

will work to reduce the number of people that become homeless.

There are hundreds of thousands of primary breadwinners sitting in prison for non-violent possession of cannabis, their families or members of their families are more at risk of becoming homeless because of this policy.

By no means will ending the War on Drugs particularly cannabis result in the elimination of homelessness but I believe it will help.

Your post does have strong dose of reality in regards to human nature, many people can't walk in someone else's shoes.

[RainDog]

33. I just came across this again

I don't see things posted by bobolink.

however, it's interesting that bobo assumes I don't know people who are homeless or in dire circumstances. the truth of the matter is that I do and someone has stayed with me for a few days off and on over the last month because he lost his home. I don't even know this person all that well, but I know he needs help and I was able to provide some.

that's part of my ethos. I can talk about support for one issue while still holding beliefs about another.

another person I know has someone staying with her b/c that person wasn't able to find a job and moved where I am to try to get work. (that guy is a republican, too...but homeless republicans need help too.) that guy has found a job (a service position, but a job) and is still staying with the woman here he knows until he can afford to live somewhere else.

long ago I offered bobo a place to stay if she could get here and she never responded because, unlike her apparent assumption, I do care about the plight of homeless people. But after she has gone on the attack on more than a few people here, I rescind that invitation. Not that I don't care. I just don't have the personal resources to deal with the mental illness that is often associated with the long-term homeless.

which is another reason out govt needs to step up with a social safety net to provide the health care and shelter that are often needed by those who don't even have the emotional resources to ask for them.

but her attacks on others is why I cannot see her posts.

she also has no idea what my financial situation is at this time or the sacrifices I have made for others that I love, at the real expense of many things that were, and sort of still are, still important to me. she has no idea what sort of crises I've dealt with among family members or health issues I have to contend with in family members and in myself even to this day.

and that's why I have bobo on ignore too.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, NNNOLHI.

[felix_numinous]

26. K+R for health

[SpiralHawk]

28. Heal the sick

Vote corporatista fear-based republicons out...and allow herbal medicine to help the sick. I have seen how it can and does help.

[AtomicKitten]

30. A lesson in compassion. Say it loud. nt